Woman burned while unclogging toilet

A 64-year-old Fort Lupton woman was flown to the North Colorado Medical Center burn center with chemical burns to her face Tuesday night.

Cmdr. Monty Lemley said a neighbor drove Shirley Vrekler to the Fort Lupton substation of the Weld County Sheriff’s office around 7:40 p.m. Tuesday. Vrekler had chemical burns to her face and eyes, but she could still see, Lemley said.

Lemley said she had used a product she found at a parts store that contained sulfuric acid to unclog her toilet.

“She dumped it in and it blew back into her face,” Lemley said.

Paramedics had a station across the street and responded immediately, calling for a helicopter to take her to the burn center.

Lemley said she had redness about the face, and her eyes were burning.